Monthly Archives: September 2021

Judgements in pyjamas (Rousse)

Posted on September 30, 2021 by Dreamaticus

For months we had been gathering online to assess the health of academic research in the UK. At last we were meeting face-to-face to undertake the next tranche of work – dressed in horrible pastel-coloured pyjamas. The women looked particularly … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Remembering the dead (Rousse)

Posted on September 29, 2021 by Dreamaticus

L and TF were avoiding me because we had not acknowledged that the young woman killed in the terrorist attack was their daughter K’s best friend.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Paddington Bear wannabe is Prime Minister (Rousse)

Posted on September 29, 2021 by Dreamaticus

Unwittingly, I was the star of a new reality television programme. A huge crowd of brash, rowdy women picked on me so mercilessly that the pitying viewers nominated me as a candidate in the general election. Not only did I … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A snowy, spring, Irish surprise (Rousse)

Posted on September 26, 2021 by Dreamaticus

It snowed all the way through ‘spring’ in the Republic of Ireland. Even in mid-summer big patches of the white stuff were piled at the side of the road and scattered in patches in the fields. TPR and I were … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Robert Frost and dye (Rousse)

Posted on September 24, 2021 by Dreamaticus

While I spent the summer months researching the life and work of Robert Frost, TPR was experimenting with green and purple hair dyes.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

A sequinned Queen (Rousse)

Posted on September 23, 2021 by Dreamaticus

With notice of about 60 seconds, we arranged ourselves in row to greet the Queen. I was the first in line. She offered her white-gloved hand. I shook it gently while admiring the her elegant off-white sequinned dress. When I … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Failing your finals (Rousse)

Posted on September 22, 2021 by Dreamaticus

I met old university classmates KH and SB for a cup of tea in the Scotsman Hotel before they left Edinburgh. SB confessed that – like me – she had not been attending the final year classes of our French … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A sexy orthopaedic surgeon (Rousse)

Posted on September 19, 2021 by Dreamaticus

I was looking forward to talking to NP and SF over the meal, but as we sat down to dinner one of the guests declared that he was an orthopaedic surgeon and very interested in assessing my leg pain. This … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Hooking a salmon in one cast (Rousse)

Posted on September 18, 2021 by Dreamaticus

I walked along the river bank with my father. We saw a few people fishing, apparently without success. My father boasted ‘Watch me, I can pull one out with single cast’. He stepped down to the water, expertly sent his … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Luggage problems on Lewis (Rousse)

Posted on September 16, 2021 by Dreamaticus

Our flight from Stornoway was in two hours at 9pm and our only means of transport from Uig to the airport was a set of four brand new three speed bikes. Even if we were to cycle at top speed … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment